3195 replies to this topic

[SiC]

So it must therefore be at least 6 months since anyone posted in this thread:

‘I thought these were all scrapped in 2003?’ ????

On the same token - "Isn't the windscreen wiper switch upside down?"

[LightBulbFun]

"aint they illegal to drive on the road these days?!"

 

Congrats on the Anniversary DW

 

(tho ill have to admit unlike most people, it was actually Zels videos that set me on the invacar "warpath" so to speak   )

 

but I pretty quickly stumbled across your videos and the autoshite forum in its beige entirety

[Remspoor]

We know a song about that...

[Zelandeth]

"aint they illegal to drive on the road these days?!"

Congrats on the Anniversary DW

(tho ill have to admit unlike most people, it was actually Zels videos that set me on the invacar "warpath" so to speak )

but I pretty quickly stumbled across your videos and the autoshite forum in its beige entirety

He's entirely responsible for me knowing they existed via this thread, so it's still all DW's fault at the end of the day.

... Can't thank him enough to be honest, as I've one of the most fascinating little cars ever made in the garage as a result.

[LightBulbFun]

He's entirely responsible for me knowing they existed via this thread, so it's still all DW's fault at the end of the day.

... Can't thank him enough to be honest, as I've one of the most fascinating little cars ever made in the garage as a result.

 

now theres one for a "6 steps away/chain of association" type thread 

 

its interesting how quite a few people in the UK had never seen/heard of an invacar until Dollyowbblers climb to fame, despite them being a common piece of street furniture back in the day

 

(on that note I must be one of the youngest/last people who actually remembers seeing one on the road, coming across one in 2003 when i was 3! then in 2013-2014 or so I stumbled across the wikipedia page for them, and then in 2018 I stumbled across them again and at that point it was all down hill from there as they say   )

 

(probably because an invacar is one of the few Not-a-bus vehicles I distinctly remember from my early childhood, I was like what the blazes is that its only got 3 wheels! mum told me it was a car built for disabled people which caused 3 year old me to think ALL Cars with 3 wheels where for disabled people... but to be fair to 3 year old me that invacar was the only 3 wheeled car id seen, until top gears episode on the robin i think...)

 

any-who this is DWs thread so I better shut up about myself before I find gorge the cat leaving dead mice in my bed

[Ben_O]

WWow, time really does fly.

 

It has come so far though especially when you think that a year ago it was languishing in a damp field.

Well done that man for resurrecting this fascinating little oddball

[D Spares & Tyres]

I have just seen this car for the first time. Heading towards me through my town. I instinctively flashed and put my hand up then realised straight away that I don't know Dollywobbler personally, neither does he know my car!



Long way from home on a windy day, bet that was fun over Clee Hill!

[dollywobbler]

Oops! Sorry to miss you. Clee Hill was a 15mph slog at one stage...
I'd post pics, but I'm on my phone.

[SiC]

So what time are you setting off tomorrow for the show?

[dollywobbler]

I'm already there...

[Gamer9430]

So I guess the Invacar made it to the NEC then! Congrats DW on getting TWC back into working order. Got to thank LightBulbFun for getting me interested in the Invacar, as well as this website

 

Such a neat little car. Hopefully by the time I finally head across the pond to visit LBF, he'll have found his Invacar and gotten it up and running, as I'd absolutely love to try taking one for a spin. They don't look like they hang around for too long, based on what I saw in DW's videos, so that'll be fun LOL

[Remspoor]

So I guess the Invacar made it to the NEC then!

 

Yep and the owner too.

How does one find out about up and coming live broadcasts?

[SiC]

I'll add these photos here that I took today. More close up of some of the sections that you may have not seen in any of the videos.

Logo is just about visible. The ceiling lights at the show reflected on it and made the logo hard to see.


Those rings are pretty crusty, especially on the underside! I don't think DW needs to worry about trying to remove them. Just need a bit more time and the bottom will rust out releasing them.


Engine oil specs.


Cockpit. (Very sorry Ms Kesley media lady, I didn't mean to frame a picture of your rear in the middle of this shot. However its too good a picture of inside to not share)
Seat is remarkably comfortable. Indicator stalk is all very floppy though.


The beating heart.


I didn't like to say but DW took it out of my mouth anyway, this little car has a fair bit of "Patina"! More than the videos lets on.

[LightBulbFun]

Yep and the owner too.

How does one find out about up and coming live broadcasts?

 

 

some youtubes will put up a small 10 second "im going live" video before they do

 

and some like DW just go live at a whim and its just a case of being there at the right time (you can setup youtube so it sends you a notification when someone does go live)

[LightBulbFun]

I'll add these photos here that I took today. More close up of some of the sections that you may have not seen in any of the videos.

Logo is just about visible. The ceiling lights at the show reflected on it and made the logo hard to see.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2018110...

Those rings are pretty crusty, especially on the underside! I don't think DW needs to worry about trying to remove them. Just need a bit more time and the bottom will rust out releasing them.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2018110...

Cockpit. (Very sorry Ms Kesley media lady, I didn't mean to frame a picture of your rear in the middle of this shot. However its too good a picture of inside to not share)
Seat is remarkably comfortable. Indicator stalk is all very floppy though.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2018110...

The beating heart.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2018110...

I didn't like to say but DW took it out of my mouth anyway, this little car has a fair bit of "Patina"! More than the videos let on.

 

Oohh close up invacar shots FTW! I hope to see TWC in person some day, having been "up close and personal" with TPA which was considered by DW to be the worse of the 2 I dont think DW has to worry about me getting the wrong idea on condition

 

its interesting to see TWCs spec plate is almost identical to TPAs plate despite TWC being a invacar model 70 and TPA being an AC Model 70, but I have noticed a couple differences myself like which order the oil brands are listed

 

I also wonder what the secondary plate on TPA is about...

Attached Images

• 

[dollywobbler]

Ah. I hadn't realised I'd met the famous SiC! Brain did not engage...

[Zelandeth]

It's a service record I believe. Bit like the plate usually seen on MOD kit.

You still need a battery clamp, DW? I think I've got about half a dozen of the buggers in the garage, I seem to keep finding more of them in boxes.

Let me know if you want them, no charge involved. I like being helpful.

[SiC]

Not sure if you've left for home yet Ian, but when you do, take it easy! I've just come back from your part of the world (Mid Wales/Powys) this weekend and there has been a lot of rain + leaves dropping over last few days...

You go round a corner to suddenly find a slippery mess of wet leaves. Not a problem for 4 wheeled vehicles as other vehicle tyres have cleared the road and can follow the tracks. However being a 3 wheeler, you could find yourself going around a corner to having your only wheel that steers on a material that is like ice.

[fordperv]

Nice meeting you earlier DW, Loved seeing this little car in the flesh and thrilled to have sat in it, pictures do not do its patina justice at all

[LightBulbFun]

https://twitter.com/...708824061640707

 

invacar at night

 

is this the first time TWCs been out on the Open Road at night? it would be interesting to hear how she did (where the head lights any good? LOL)

[egg]

Wobbler's sheer persistence (bloody mindedness?!) with this project has had a pretty good return on investment I think. And, is pretty much the definition of blokes messing about in sheds* making the world a better place.

 

Now, to do the same with the Fox!

[dollywobbler]

She's not bad in the dark. Main issue generally is rearward visibility. One external mirror, one internal, both crap
Huge pillars next to your head remove any over-the-shoulder view.

Headlamps aren't bad, but it's telling that the voltmeter reckons 11.8v with the headlamps on, which I think is pure voltage drop. I doubt the headlamps themselves are seeing much more than 10v.

[Zelandeth]

The fact that the wiring is very old school and that everything goes through the "not so great" switches won't be helping the at bulb voltage any.

Reckon that a direct (fused) battery feed to relays in the front service compartment for the headlights might be in the future for mine.

A mod familiar to many Citroen XM or Xantia owners...

[Noel Tidybeard]

led h4 bulbs in some mini replacement light units= much visibility & less loom smoke wastage

[LightBulbFun]

Mods I require a Dislike button....

 

LEDs are naff in general let alone in a vintage car *shudder*

[dollywobbler]

NEC Report.

 

Thursday began full of cheer, because I had not yet driven the Invacar.

 

The indicator switch fell apart in Rhayader after only about ten miles. I pushed it together, but it kept on falling apart at times. I pushed on and met up with an old friend.

 

That involved climbing Clee Hill. At 15mph. The views were worth it though.

 

Then things just got more boring really, save a lively drive through the centre of Birmingham. Motorways were avoided at all costs, but idiots appear everywhere. I almost got sideswiped by a twat in a Golf.

 

But, I made it to the NEC, and parked up in Hall 1. That's the posh hall. We were opposite the Aston Martin Works, next to the Maserati club and also had a Porsche 911 opposite. TWC fitted right in.

 

Here's a video of me arriving and failing to take a short cut.

https://twitter.com/...539046227779584

 

Then TWC met lots of people.

 

She attracted a ridiculous amount of attention. You could barely walk past her on Saturday such was the crowd! My voice is utterly shot.

 

Sunday night meant escape, mostly from the embarrassment of failing to turn the ignition on at Horn Time...

 

I went for easy dinner.

 

I stopped locally. This is just one reason.

 

I love the changing leaves. Chatted to a couple of chaps in their eighties about TWC at this Garden Centre.

 

I stopped off at Holden Classic & Vintage on the way home, in a bid to sort out the indicators. They didn't have the right stalk in stock, but I managed to fix the old one. They let me tinker indoors, next to an ex-works Sunbeam Tiger!

 

We eventually reached Wales.

 

On the Elan Valley Mountain Road, I hit a storm and had to take critical action to save two boxes of HubNut calendars!

 

Water was pouring in through the side windows. Then there was hail. Then gales. That was fun...

 

Thankfully, home was reached a short time later. Exhausted. 

 

What an amazing trip though. Exactly one year ago, this car still sat on death row in a field, where it had been for 14 years. Talk about a turnaround in fortunes! Might not be prepared to go for another adventure for a wee while though...

[LightBulbFun]

Congrats TWC & DW for getting there and back the event sounds like much fun  I look forward to seeing the video on the trip and event

 

hows the new Belt and pulley setup doing? managed to crack 70 yet? now the drive train losses have been reduced* 

[busmansholiday]

Brilliant, just love what you've done, especially as my grandfather had one after his WWI injuries left him partly paralysed.

[dollywobbler]

Congrats TWC & DW for getting there and back the event sounds like much fun I look forward to seeing the video on the trip and event

hows the new Belt and pulley setup doing? managed to crack 70 yet? now the drive train losses have been reduced*

She was badly affected by the extra weight, especially with two boxes of calendars. No more than 60 today. I'm not convinced everything is as happy as it could be.

[timolloyd]

You legend. It’s great to see this getting the attention it deserves at NEC.